Apparatus for supporting and positioning heavy and cumbersome objects

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a ball supported in a socket and rotatable through substantially one hemisphere. A shaft extending from the rotatable ball includes means to support a workpiece. The ball and socket are supported by stand of such height that the workpiece is maintained at a comfortable working position. Attached to the socket are means for supporting the ball in a fixed position during work and for releasing the ball when it is desired to change the position of the shaft and workpiece.

United States Patent Cronier Jan. 14, 1975 APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING HEAVY AND CUMBERSOME OBJECTS [76] Inventor: Henry J Cronier, 30 Fremont St.,

Blind River, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: July 25, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 382,332

[52] US. Cl 269/54.5, 248/181, 269/75, 269/321 LU [51] Int. Cl B25b 1/22 [58] Field of Search 248/181, 288, 481, 483, 248/489; 269/53, 54.1, 54.4, 54.5, 71, 75, 321 LU [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 892,105 6/1908 White 248/288 x 1,981,253 11/1934 Schulz 269/75 3,018,098 1/1962 Hunt 269/54.l X 3,595,556 7/1971 Schonauer 269/71 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 535,305 4/1941 England 269/75 1,018,869 10/1952 France 845,179 7/1952 Germany 269/75 Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner-Mark S. Bicks Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cushman, Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a ball supported in a socket and rotatable through substantially one hemisphere. A shaft extending from the rotatable ball includes means to support a workpiece. The ball and socket are supported by stand of such height that the workpiece is maintained at a comfortable working position. Attached to the socket are means for supporting the ball in a fixed position during work and for releasing the ball when it is desired to change the position of the shaft and workpiece.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN14I975 3,860,228

SHEET 50F e mm v APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING HEAVY AND CUMBERSOME OBJECTS This invention pertains to a holder and positioner for heavy and cumbersome objects which it is desired to check, maintain or repair.

It is often desirable when checking, maintaining or repairing a heavy or cumbersome object to hold the object in various positions to enable the workman to work in a comfortable position. It is well known that workmen working in cramped and unusual positions take longer to perform a standard task, use more energy, and are more likely to perform a poorer job than a workman who is able to perform the same task in a normal sitting or standing position. With this in mind the instant invention relates to a holder and positioner for heavy and cumbersome objects whereby the object can be moved to and maintainend in a working position throughout substantially a hemisphere.

In describing this invention reference will be made to the accompanying drawings which disclose the various elements of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the holder.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the stand.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the release means for the rotatable ball.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the safety latch arrangement on the release means.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the shaft and object support extending therefrom.

FIG. 6 is perspective view of the clamps used on fixed tubes to support moveable tubes FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the clamp used to support furniture.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a base 1 supporting a releasable spring loaded socket 2, a rotatable ball 3 having a shaft 4, and an object holder 5 supported by the shaft 4.

The base 2 is composed of a base plate 6 and four horizontal legs 7 welded to base plate 6. The out end of each leg 7 is supported by a swivel wheel 8. A vertical tubular standard 9 is welded to each leg 7. The vertical tubular standards support the socket 2.

As seen in FIG. 2 the socket 2 is comprised of four solid square bars 10 whose bottom ends are designed to fit into and be supported by vertical tubular stan-' dards 9. The upper ends of solid square bars 10 are bent inwardly to form a clasp 11 to retain the rotatable ball 3 against upwards motion. The four solid square bars 10 are welded to a large diameter piece of tubing 13 of some length immediately below the bent portion which forms clasp 11. Welded to and extending downwardly from tubing 13 are four rods 14 having threaded ends 15. The rotatable ball 3 having a shaft 4 is inserted into the tubing 13 until the rotatable ball 3 is retained by clasp 11. A ball socket 16 having an upper dished portion 17 is snugly fitted against the bottom of the rotatable ball 3. A spiral spring 18 is inserted with the upper portion of the spring 18 biased against the base of ball socket 16. The bottom of spiral spring 18 rests on spring plate 19. Spring plate 19 contains four apertures 20 which fit over the threaded ends of rods 14. Nuts 16 are threaded on the threaded ends 15 of rods 14 and tightened to bias the spiral spring 18 and ball socket 16 against the rotatable ball 3. In order to maintain better frictional contact between rotatable ball 3 and ball socket l6 and clasp 11 the portion of ball socket 16 and clasp 11 are lined with brake lining material 21.

FIG. 3 discloses a rotatable ball release means 22. The release means 22 is comprised of an upper release rod 23 having a hooked upper end 24 which is hooked into the center base of the ball socket 16. The lower end of rod 23 is threaded into a turnbuckle 25. Extending downwardly and threaded into the other end of turnbuckle 25 is bottom release rod 26. This bottom release rod 26 extends through a central aperture of base plate 6 and through a central aperture in release base plate 27. The lower end of bottom release rod 26 is threaded 28 and retained firmly against release base plate 27 by nut 29. Welded to the top of release base plate 27 and extending outwardly therefrom intersecting legs 7 are four peddle supports 30. The peddle supports 30 are square tubular pieces. The end of each peddle support 30 contains a peddle 31 which is retained on the peddle support 30 by a larger diameter tubular piece 32 which fits over tubular support 30. As the peddles 31 are several inches off the ground, when the operator steps on the peddle the release base plate 27 moves downwardly pulling the bottom release rod 26, turnbuckle 25 and upper release rod downwardly which in turn pulls the ball socket 16 downwardly releasing the rotatable ball 3 for movement.

In order to prevent the rotatable ball release means 22 from being accidentally actuated with possible injury to the operator from the article being supported by the rotatable ball 3 a safety feature 33 is releasably at tached to the rotatable ball release means. As shown in FIG. 4 the safety feature 33 is comprised of a lever 34 which fits between two adjustable nuts 35 and 36 on bottom release rod 26. The lever 34 is comprised of a hook portion 37 which fits between adjustable nuts 35 and 36 and a shaft portion 38 which extends perpendicularly on either side of the base of the hook portion 37. The lever 34 is engaged by pivot 40 which fits through an aperture in lever 34 and lever 34 is retained on the pivot by a nut 41. The lever is biased in a closed position by a spring 42 fastened to one end of shaft portion 38. The other end of spring 42 is fastened to an arm 43 welded to one of the hollow tubular standards 9. The other end of the shaft portion 38 of lever 34 is fastened to a cable 44. The cable 45 proceeds from the shaft portion around pulleys 45 pivoted on each of the peddle supports 30 until it is finally fastened to an arm 46 on one of the legs 7. A turnbuckle arrangement 47 is included in the cable 44 to provide for firmness in the cable 44 at all times. By pushing the cable 44 the end of the shaft portion 38 of lever 34 is pulled releasing the hook portion 37 from between adjustable bolts 34 and 35 to enable the rotatable ball release means 22 to be actuated.

As it is difficult to reach the cable 44 when a large article is being supported on the rotatable ball 3 the larger diameter peddle tubular piece 32 is slideable on peddle support 30. Welded to peddle tubular piece 32 is cable rod 48 which has an aperture in its outer end 49 which cable 42 is threaded through. When peddle tubular piece 32 is pushed forward by the foot of the operator the cable rod 48 pushes the cable 42 forward actuating lever 34 and releasing hook portion 37 from between adjustable bolts 35 and 36 enabling the rotatable ball release means 22 to be actuated.

Referring to FIG. there is shown a side elevation view of the shaft 4 and object holder 5. The object holder 5 is comprised of a tube 49 having a shank 50 which fits over shaft 4. The top of tube 49 includes a bar 51 extending across the tube 49 which fits into a slot 52 in the top of shaft 4. The tube 49 is retained on shaft 4 by a fastening member 53 welded to tube 49. The apertures 54 in both tube 49 and shaft 4 are aligned when bar 51 extending across the top of tube 49 is inserted into slot 52. The fastening member 53 is comprised of a shaft 55 having a threaded wingnut head 56 threadable into threaded member 57 in tube 49 locking the object holder 5 on shaft 4. Two flanges 58 and 58 are welded to the exterior of tube 49. Two pieces of square tubing 59 and 60 sit between the flanges 58 and 58 and are welded thereto. The square tubes 59 and 60 form the fixed object holding members. Adjustable clamps 61 on either end of square tubing 59 and 60 retain two other pieces of square tubing 62 and 63. Square tubing 62 and 63 may be moved along square tubes 59 and 60 either laterally or towards or away from one another depending on the size of the object to be retained by clamps 61 at the end of moveable square tubes 62 and 63. In practice it has been found preferable to have a series of interchangeable tubes 62 and 63 of different lengths to be used in conjunction with objects of varying lengths so that the tubes 62 and 63 are of only slightly greater length than the object being held.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown in detail clamps 61 which are used on fixed tubes 59 and 60 to hold moveable tubes 62 and 63. Clamps 61 are formed of two channels 65 and 66 which are joined back to back on a pivot 67. Each channel has a right angled member 68 dependent from a bolt 69 which engages an aperture 70 in one arm of channels 65 and 66. Each bolt 69 has a handle 71 which when turned in a clockwise direction moves right angled member 68 towards the opposite arm of the channels 65 or 66. One channel 65 is slideably arranged on fixed tubes 59 and 60 at a selected position. Moveable tubes 62 or 63 are then slid through the opposite channel to a selected position. When fixed tubes 59 and 60 and moveable tubes 62 and 63 are in the desired position to form a frame for an object bolts 69 are then tightened and the tubes fixed in the desired position relative to one another.

The object holding clamps 64 are placed towards each end of moveable tubes 62 and 63. This clamp as shown in FIG. 7 consists of a single channel 72. The channel has a right angled member 73 dependent from a bolt 74 which engages an aperture 75 in one arm of channel 72. Extending vertically from the back of the main member 76 of channel 72 is a rod 77 which is pivotally connected to the main member 76 of channel 72 by a pivot 78. A plate 79 having one upright edge 80 is pivotally connected by a pivot 81 to rod 77. Six slanted holes 79, three on each side of plate 79 are provided through which plate 79 is fastened by nails to wooden frames of objects upon which work is to be performed. It is preferable to use a double headed nail 82 to fasten the clamp to wooden frames, the lower head fitting against the side of plate 79 and the upper head being available for removing the nail.

The base plate 6 of base 1 may be attached to a frame and wheels as shown in FIG. 1 or may be placed in a pivotal arrangement in the floor should it be desirable to use a small work area.

A ring 83 is slideably mounted on the shaft 4 for movement up and down the shaft. The ring 83 can be retained in any desired position by a fastener 84. The ring is adapted when released to slide down the shaft 4 where the ring engages the clasp 11 when the shaft is in the vertical position. The ring 83 can then be fastened to the shaft 4 in contrast with the clasp l 1. When the ball is then released for movement the ring 83 rides in clasp 11, the ball 3 may spin in the socket 2 supported by the ring 83. The ring 83 has a raised condition (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) and a lowered condition (shown FIG. 5). The diameter of the shaft 4 is small enough that when the ring 83 is raised, as in FIG. I, and the rod 26 is depressed, freeing the ball 3 for rotation, the object holder 5 may be tilted to such an extent that the shaft 4 passes downwardly between tips of any two adjacent ones of the four legs 10 of the clasp 11. However, the diameter of the ring 83 is greater than the distance between adjacent clasp tips, so that when the ring 83 is secured in its lower condition, as in FIG. 5, and the rod 26 is depressed, the ball 3 can be rotated in a sense to rotate the object holder 5 with the shaft 4 remaining generally vertical, but the tilting capability is limited by the inability of the ring 83 to pass between the tips of clasp.

In operation to support furniture eg for upholstering, the object holder 5 is removed from the shaft 4. The moveable tubes 62 and 63 of slightly greater length than the object to be held are inserted through clamps 61. Clamps 64 are then inserted at each end of tubes 62 and 63. The four clamps 64 are then arranged against the frame of the object with upright edge of plate 79 resting against the outside of the frame member of the furniture. The plate 79 is then nailed to the frame. The clamps 64 are then firmly set on the moveable tubes 62 and 63. The object holder 5 and object are then arranged so that the tube 47 is placed over shaft 4 of base 1. Threaded member 51 is then inserted through the aperture 52 in both tube 47 and shaft 4 and threaded into member 51 welded to tube 47. A peddle support 30 is then pushed forward releasing safety feature 33 and the peddle support 30 is then pressed downwardly releasing the rotatable ball 3 for move ment while the workpiece is moved into the desired working posistion. position.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An apparatus for holding and positioning a workpiece in any desired position throughout substantially a hemisphere comprised of a base,

a ball joint supported by said base,

a ball supported in said ball joint with outer surface means of the ball normally in contact with inner surface means of the ball joint by means of a spring which normally biases the ball joint upwardly against the ball,

means to maintain said ball in desired positions in the ball joint,

means to release said ball for movement from one desired position to another desired position comprising a rod attached to the ball joint adapted to move downwardly to overcome the normally upward bias of the ball joint, v

workpiece support means attached to said ball,

lock the release means and prevent movement of the release means when the joint is normally biased against the ball.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the ball and ball joint surface means as constituted of materials having a high co-efficient of friction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein release means are controlled through at least one foot peddle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the safety means is controlled through the same foot peddle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the workpiece support means is comprised of two flanges, two fixed furniture support tubes, two moveable furniture support tubes, and moveable holding clamps, wherein the two flanges are fixedly attached to the shaft extending from the ball, the two fixed furniture support tubes are fixedly attached to the two flanges, the moveable furniture support tubes and adapted for movement back and forth along the fixed furniture support tubes to support various sizes of furniture, and moveable holding clamps supported on both the fixed and moveable furniture support tubes and adapted for fastening to the furniture for retaining the furniture on the furniture support means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the ball joint includes a ball socket having a disked portion upon which the ball rests; and a plurality of clasp members which extend upwardly from the base and curve part way over the ball so as to have a plurality of angularly spaced tips lying near one another;

the workpiece support means includes a shaft secured to the ball and object holder means secured on the shaft, the shaft having a lesser diameter than the distance between angularly adjacent clasp member tips;

a ring received on the shaft, the ring having a greater outer diameter than the distance between angularly adjacent clasp member tips, said ring being axially movable on said shaft between a. a raised condition wherein the ring lies above said tips, so that when the safety means in unlocked and the release means is released the ball may be rotated and tilted to such a degree that the shaft passes between two angularly adjacent clasp member tips, and

b. a lowered condition wherein the ring lies at the same level as the clasp member tips, so that when the safety means is released the ball rotated, but tilting thereof is positively limited by the inability of the ring to pass between the angularly adjacent clasp member tips;

and means for securing the ring in both said conditions.

7. Apparatus for holding and positioning a workpiece, comprising:

a base;

a spring plate supported on the base;

a coil spring supported on the spring plate;

an upwardly opening ball joint socket supported on the spring and urged thereby to a raised condtion;

a ball supported in the socket for rotational movement;

clasp means including a plurality of legs extending from the base, upwardly, and curving over the ball toward the top of the ball to retain the ball seated in the socket, the clasp means legs ending in tips which lie angularly spaced from one another near the top of the ball;

high friction surface means defined on at least one of the clasp and ball for mutual engagement;

a release rod secured to the socket and extending downwardly,

lever means movably mounted on the frame to gain purchase thereagainst and secured to the rod, so that depression of the lever in a sense to pull the release rod'downwardly pulls the socket downwards, compressing the spring and so that releasing the lever permits the compressed spring to recover and raise the socket to again force the ball against the clasp;

an object holder;

shaft means radiating from the ball and securing the object holder to the ball, the shaft means including a shaft having a smaller diameter than the distance between angularly adjacent twos of said tips of said clasp legs, whereby, when the lever means is depressed, the object holder, shaft and ball may be rotated and may be tilted so far as to cause the shaft to pass between angularly adjacent twos of said tips.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the clasp includes four said legs, and said legs are equi-angularly spaced.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the lever means extends generally horizontally outwardly from its securement to said rod and slidably receives a peddle means on the outer end thereof;

a safety lock between the rod and the base, for preventing downward movement of the rod unless released;

resilient spring means normally biasing the safety lock toward engagement;

linkage means connecting the spring means with the peedle means and causing this spring means to normally bias the peddle outwardly on the lever means, so that temporarily releasing the ball with respect to the clasp, for angular and rotational adjustment of the object holder with respect to the base, requires that the peddle means be first urged inwardly against the resiliency of the spring means and then depressed to pull the rod, and thus the socket, downwards, compressing the coil spring. 

1. An apparatus for holding and positioning a workpiece in any desired position throughout substantially a hemisphere comprised of a base, a ball joint supported by said base, a ball supported in said ball joint with outer surface means of the ball normally in contact with inner surface means of the ball joint by means of a spring which normally biases the ball joint upwardly against the ball, means to maintain said ball in desired positions in the ball joint, means to release said ball for movement from one desired position to another desired position comprising a rod attached to the ball joint adapted to move downwardly to overcome the normally upward bias of the ball joint, workpiece support means attached to said ball, and a safety means which is normally operative to lock the release means and prevent movement of the release means when the joint is normally biased against the ball.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the ball and ball joint surface means as constituted of materials having a high co-efficient of friction.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein release means are controlled through at least one foot peddle.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the safety means is controlled through the same foot peddle.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the workpiece support means is comprised of two flanges, two fixed furniture support tubes, two moveable furniture support tubes, and moveable holding clamps, wherein the two flanges are fixedly attached to the shaft extending from the ball, the two fixed furniture support tubes are fixedly attached to the two flanges, the moveable furniture support tubes and adapted for movement back and forth along the fixed furniture support tubes to support various sizes of furniture, and moveable holding clamps supported on both the fixed and moveable furniture support tubes and adapted for fastening to the furniture for retaining the furniture on the furniture support means.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the ball joint includes a ball socket having a disked portion upon which the ball Rests; and a plurality of clasp members which extend upwardly from the base and curve part way over the ball so as to have a plurality of angularly spaced tips lying near one another; the workpiece support means includes a shaft secured to the ball and object holder means secured on the shaft, the shaft having a lesser diameter than the distance between angularly adjacent clasp member tips; a ring received on the shaft, the ring having a greater outer diameter than the distance between angularly adjacent clasp member tips, said ring being axially movable on said shaft between a. a raised condition wherein the ring lies above said tips, so that when the safety means in unlocked and the release means is released the ball may be rotated and tilted to such a degree that the shaft passes between two angularly adjacent clasp member tips, and b. a lowered condition wherein the ring lies at the same level as the clasp member tips, so that when the safety means is released the ball rotated, but tilting thereof is positively limited by the inability of the ring to pass between the angularly adjacent clasp member tips; and means for securing the ring in both said conditions.
 7. Apparatus for holding and positioning a workpiece, comprising: a base; a spring plate supported on the base; a coil spring supported on the spring plate; an upwardly opening ball joint socket supported on the spring and urged thereby to a raised condtion; a ball supported in the socket for rotational movement; clasp means including a plurality of legs extending from the base, upwardly, and curving over the ball toward the top of the ball to retain the ball seated in the socket, the clasp means legs ending in tips which lie angularly spaced from one another near the top of the ball; high friction surface means defined on at least one of the clasp and ball for mutual engagement; a release rod secured to the socket and extending downwardly, lever means movably mounted on the frame to gain purchase thereagainst and secured to the rod, so that depression of the lever in a sense to pull the release rod downwardly pulls the socket downwards, compressing the spring and so that releasing the lever permits the compressed spring to recover and raise the socket to again force the ball against the clasp; an object holder; shaft means radiating from the ball and securing the object holder to the ball, the shaft means including a shaft having a smaller diameter than the distance between angularly adjacent twos of said tips of said clasp legs, whereby, when the lever means is depressed, the object holder, shaft and ball may be rotated and may be tilted so far as to cause the shaft to pass between angularly adjacent twos of said tips.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the clasp includes four said legs, and said legs are equi-angularly spaced.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the lever means extends generally horizontally outwardly from its securement to said rod and slidably receives a peddle means on the outer end thereof; a safety lock between the rod and the base, for preventing downward movement of the rod unless released; resilient spring means normally biasing the safety lock toward engagement; linkage means connecting the spring means with the peedle means and causing this spring means to normally bias the peddle outwardly on the lever means, so that temporarily releasing the ball with respect to the clasp, for angular and rotational adjustment of the object holder with respect to the base, requires that the peddle means be first urged inwardly against the resiliency of the spring means and then depressed to pull the rod, and thus the socket, downwards, compressing the coil spring. 